Yesterday, Trinette was by and we had conversations about family, shopping, and other things.
From the 19th. This kind of thing has been happening for a very long time, although not always quite so deadly. But constant harassment is not exactly a walk in the park. Law and Crime says he has a court date today.
Amanda Marcotte at Salon writes about why we can’t have nice things a woman President, and why this will be true for a very long time. Spoiler – it’s because there are enough men working very, very hard to keep it that way.
This from The Conversation is supposed to be encouraging, and in a way it is, but this issue is not an election, it’s an imperative, and when one starts getting down to the percentage points of changed answers when additional information is provided, I get very nervous indeed.
Yesterday, the radio opera was “Iolanta” by Tchaikovsky. It’s in one act with four scenes, and is set in the 1400s, which if not exact, is probably close enough to the era in history when Islam had all the good scientists and all the good physicians (although probably not good enough to give vision to someone born blind – but hey, it’s an opera.) Like the opera “Ruslan and Ludmilla”, it’s popular in Russia and little known elsewhere, but the Met did do it for a Saturday matinee some years ago and later televised it, so I have seen it once. It’s very pretty and has a happy ending. The Muslim doctor, I think, has the best line and certainly the most relevant today: “Without inner desire, change cannot take place.” Wikipedia has a great article on it, including (not that I think anyone but me cares) the fact that the name in the Danish play from which the libretto was derived was “Iolanthe” – like the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta – and that both names are forms of “Yolanda” – which makes perfect sense but was news to me. It’s also very short for an opera – well under 2 hours – so I was able to have a little additional treat. My local station, which could not afford the second half od the summer season, decided that instead they would play a recording of a complete opera starting at the same time, so I was able to hear a substantial part of Handel’s “Rinaldo” after “Iolanta” finished. I’ve seen it once – almost certainly during the pandemic, when the Met allowed people to stream a different opera every day/night for free. When I turned it on, it was during a recitative scene, but very soon it went to an aria, and lucky for me, it was the aria which has been frequently performed in concert and recorded away from the opera (including by Celtic Woman), so I recognized it and was able to identify the opera quickly.
“Friday” in this from Democratic Underground was probably the 14th. I didn’t receive it in time for the 16th.
From The Guardian. I am putting this into Sunday’s post as good news because the judge did the right thing. However, I personally have mixed feelings. I was hoping this would backfire – that reducing the number of Republicans in some of the darkest red districts would actually make them competitive and increase our representation, not theirs. Now that will not happen – at least not in Texas.
This was from a local ABC affiliate in New Jersey, but I found it through The Smile. (off topic, but the part of the URL I cut off ended with “bfd.” Yeah, I would say so.)
I’m being Roman with the date today to mock the MAGAts who are losing it because someone said somewhere on the ‘net that Zohran Mamdami would probably force all the NYC public school students to use Arabic numerals – and there are people losing it. (If you missed the story, see Belle below.) It would be even funnier if it weren’t so sad.
Yesterday, in a surprising turn of events, Marjorie Taylor Greene announced she is resigning from Congress effective January.
Talking Points Memo (this one from yesterday) always covers multiple incidents, but also does a pretty good job of providing the program without which you can’t tell the players (one scumbag is so much like all the others.) The AEA appears to me the most important here, but that’s debatable.
Born in 1945, I lived through the second “Red Scare.” And despite Joseph Welch’s memorable “have you no decency” in 1954, I can tell you from personal experience that there were still people terrified of others’ free speech and of using their own into the 60’s. This article from The Conversation demonstrates its premise that “bold and courageous acts of dissent are critical for protecting First Amendment rights for everyone.” But it doesn’t really do justice to the miasma of fear which lives on long after the judicial principle of freedom of speech is restored.
I had to archive this article from Axios because I only get the “scoops” newsletter, which is free. Jason is not my representative, more’s the pity, but he is from my state. I’m proud of all the veterans who made the video, but particularly of him.
Yesterday, Joyce Vance and Stacey Abrams had a conversation about what individuals can do in this constitutional crisis. I know that all of us are already doing something – but I also know that I sometimes get a nagging feeling that it’s not enough, and I’m betting I am not alone in that. The video of the convo is only 31 minutes, which is definitely short for such a subject, and both women are highly respected and easy to listen to. So I’m sharing the link. Stacey mentions a website with more guidance, and I tripped over several obstacles looking for it, so here is the correct spelling: 10stepscampaign.org.
I’m not putting this from The F* News in Sunday because it’s too mixed. The video produced by members of Congress is good as far as it goes, but it doesn’t go far enough. It doesn’t list (as the article does) any of the resources service members can rely on for support against the chain of command giving the illegal order. However, it is not nothing. (Also, the Gamboge Garbage is calling for them to be executed. Se the next article, from Common Dreams)
This from Common Dreams is so outrageous you have probably already seen it or heard about it. In fact, if you haven’t, your news sources are failing. Bur exactly because it’s so outrageous, I want a record of it here. I can’t even.
This from NBC News is good news as far as it goes. If it passes with a veto-proof majority, that will be good enough for a Sunday post. But we’re not there yet.
Yesterday, Harry Litman was just stunned (along with an entire courtroom) to learn that the indictment against James Comey had in fact never been seen by the grand jury. And I can see why. He posted a quick video and than reposted it with a transcript as soon as he could. I’m not linking because I think he’s correct, that you are going to be seeing this in multiple outlets, all over. At one point he had to move, saying, “Let me get away from this protestor.” Did you know there were protesters at the courthouse? I certainly didn’t. I presume (and hope) they are protesting on Comey’s behalf. I don’t like the guy either, but he doesn’t deserve this prosecution. Yesterday was also the anniversary of the dedication of the National Cemetery at Gettysburg. Heather Cox Richardson wrote a detailed letter on it, and also made a less detailed 4-minute video.
Archived from The New York Times – not political, but an opinion piece regarding AI. When the Old Gray Lady is not talking politics, she appears to me to retain a good deal of the style and rationality which made her the Paper Of Record.
TC used to joke that Andy was reporting real news when his satire was particularly on target. But the truth is that Andy is now sometimes deliberately reporting real news – and it can be devastating. The linked video was a paid-only one, so I did not see it when it came out, but he has now yielded it to pressure to make it public. It is an interview with Kate Manne, who has extensively researched the story of “Katie Johnson,” who has testified and, though she withdrew her lawsuit out of fear, stands behind her statement that Trump raped her when she was 13. It runs about 25½ minutes, and I understand if that is too long, or if the subject matter is too disturbing to listen to for anyone here. But I thought I would be remiss not to make it available.
From the 19th. This is the woman who is currently standing trial for “forcibly impeding federal officers…at an immigration facility” where she was simply (attempting to) perform the oversight which is part of her job as a Representative. I wish we had more like her.
Yesterday – well, that escalated quickly. The Senate sent the “release the files” bill to the Orange Oligarch’s desk for signature by 5:30 EST. (I received the Axios update at 3:35 MST, and assume it took 5 minutes or more to get it sent. I could be wrong – but not by more than 5 minutes.) I expected it to pass both Houses, but not today. People would not be in Congress if they did not love to talk. I also thought it had a good chance of being veto-proof. I did not expect it to pass with only one negative vote in both houses.
On Sunday, before the House Vote took place, Epstein survivors once again gathered on the Capitol steps, this time with photos of themselves contemporary with the abuse. It appears many people are viewing them as grown women in attempts to discredit, or at least soften, the trauma they endured. (Megyn Kelly is an example.) I really cannot address this – so just imagine a string of (expletive deleted)s, and supply whatever you wish to fill in. I will say I fully agree with Haley Robson’s assessment of the Apricot Antichrist’s reversal.
As Common Dreams demonstrates, it would be nice if we could manage to listen to Bernie. He has enough experience, and has paid enough attention to other nations’ methods of dealing with health care that he knoews what works. He has also done enough town hallls across the nation recently enough that he knows what is popular.
I’m very glad I didn’t include yesterday the news of Jesse Jackson being on life support – because it ain’t so. Yes, he turned 84 in October, so he’s not exactly youthful – he has Parkinson’s and PSP (which is definitely no walk in the park) – but he’s stable and with his family. The article includes a facsimile of the statement from his family (in very small print so I confess not to have read it all).
Yesterday, along with the rest of the world, why Michelle Obama will not run for President. And apparently she has been singing my song – or I have been singing hers – except this is the first time she has said it publicly: “As we saw in this past election, sadly, we ain’t ready. That’s why I’m like, don’t even look at me about running because you all are lying. You’re not ready for a woman. You are not. So don’t waste my time.” She could have added “And don’t kill any career I do want.” And she is absolutely right. We ain’t ready – we aren’t going to be in my lifetime and quite possibly not in the lifetime of anyone who is alive today. Because this societal change has to start with parents – and the parents ain’t ready for the lesson: “If you don’t want your sons to be lonely, stop raising them to be misogynistic assholes.” (quote from John Pavlovitz) Also, I slept late (normal for a Monday) – in addition to normal catching up, I had stayed up to stream the first episode of “The American Revolution” (Passport allows me to stream it through my local station.) I was surprised by how much I already knew – but even more surprised at how much the current GOP is acting like George III’s cabinet “You’ll do what we tell you.” We know what those people want and we can second guess and outsmart them (didn’t work.) “We’ll tell you what you want.” “We’re sending in the troops.” And that’s just the first episode. (And this probably means nothing, but more than a few women were quoted using modern women’s voices, and every single time Abigail Adams was quoted, I knew it was she before the name was shown. That was also true for Phillis Wheatley, but that was only one quote and impossible to miss.) Also yesterday, the Evil Emperor claimed he had changed his mind on releasing the Epstein files. I have a theory as to why, but as yet no evidence.
To me, this Huff Post article is super good news. More Progressives running. They won’t all win their primaries, But at the very least some who do will win the general. And that will be good for all Americans – including the ones too dumb to know it.
Chris Bowers has a point here – but I think it’s also possible to underestimate the Apricot Antichrist, and that we have been doing so for ten tears now – since he first came down the escalator, in fact. Granted his body count for this regime is so far much lower than the body count from the first one (which I don’t think we should forget, nor allow others to forget), it is also far more violent – it is being achieved through direct and despicable action, rather than through inaction.
The only excuse to call this news is that it’s from a newsletter. We all knew it from the instant the election was called – just not the exact names and faces. But this from Common Dreams does have receipts.
Yesterday, I saw Virgil and we played cribbage. Most of the hands were mediocre – but Virgil got a perfect 29 hand again, and this time it was for real – I didn’t stack it – no one did. First time I’ve ever seen a real one. Also yesterday, if anyone is interested, COURIER has compiled the 20,000 documents from Epstein’s estate, released by the US House Oversight Committee on November 12, 2025, into an easily searchable repository. It appears one must sign in to google to access it. Here’s the link:
Robert Reich on what the verdict of history should be on the Apricot AntiChrist. I emphasize “should” because I know of too many individuals on whom the verdict of history is wrong. And that goes both ways. I do like Robert Reich’s idea for a monument, but strongly doubt that it will ever come to pass.
Y’all can skip this if you have had enough, but I thought it would be useful to have pretty much all the Epstein stuff that is being emphasized – all of it would be a book the size of the OED or bigger – in one place, and The F* News appears to be it for now (Along with the above database.)
Common Dreams with another reason to be skeptical of AI – which is also another reason for those who are working on it to keep doing so. As long as they don’t force me to work with it, fine.
